PUNE, Jan 12: Tension prevailed in the main bazaar area of Dehu Road after a clash between military jawans and citizens this evening. The fight erupted after two jawans, allegedly in an inebriated state, abused a woman hawker near Parshi Chawl on the railway station road.According to eye-witnesses, several people were injured and handcarts and small shops damaged following retaliatory action by the military personnel. President of the Dehu Road Cantonment Board Brigadier N S Sahaee, who is also the station commandant at Dehu Road, visited the area and pacified the irate citizens.The clash began around 6.30 pm when the two military personnel, who were not in uniform, allegedly abused a woman selling household items. She retaliated by slapping one of them. The incident took place when the bazaar was crowded.As the woman raised an alarm, the crowd in the vicinity rushed forth and started beating up the two personnel. They were reportedly thrashed severely after being ``found smelling foul.'' The duowas then allowed to go.``Half-an-hour later they returned to the marketplace in three trucks packed with jawans,'' an eyewitness said. The jawans were reportedly from the 19 ADA Regiment.``They parked their trucks near a hotel at Parshi Chawl and proceeded on foot to the main bazaar area. Some of them caught hold of the man who had allegedly whipped the two jawans and beat him up,'' the eyewitness said.The jawans apparently also tried to torch the hawkers' wares. Eyewitnesses said they went berserk, causing panic and terror as the crowd began running helter-skelter. ``The jawans later coolly walked off as if they had scored a victory,'' they added.Cantonment vice-president Amin Shaikh, other senior citizens visited the area later. Shops remained closed because of the prevailing tension. Police said the situation was under control.Probe ordered``An independent enquiry will be conducted by the Army into the incident in which the military personnel went on a rampage in the main bazaararea,'' cantonment board president Brigadier N S Sahaee told The Indian Express.Sahaee said those found guilty would be punished. ``The process of enquiry will begin immediately,'' he said. No one can take the law into their hands, he said, adding the damage caused in the incident will be assessed during the enquiry.
